Okay- LOOK at these limited edition beauts from Australis Cosmetics!!! The GEMS collection has been flying off the shelves in Australia...and guess what? They'll be arriving in New Zealand stores from tomorrow (the 14th) & Friday!

The collection consists of 4 new VelourLips shades ($17.50), & 4 new Metallix Cream Eyeshadows ($14.50), and these new jewel-toned shades are to die for. I know that MUO's will go crazy over these, so you guys will have to be super quick to get your hands on them. Once they're gone, they're gone! The pain (but also joy if you're lucky) of limited edition collections ;)

Because I love to spoil you guys, I have a couple of prize packs that include these new goodies- whoop! To go in the draw to win, simply comment below telling me what your fave Australis products are- and that's it! The winners will be announced on this post in two weeks time- good luck little gems!!!

We all know that it’s super important to take care of our skin; but when there’s a myriad of skincare products out there to try and choose from, it can quickly become very overwhelming! Then, of course, what happens if you fork out heaps of money on products that don’t work...or even worse, irritate your skin? No one wants that disaster. A really safe (and budget-friendly) way of finding the right products for your skin type is to opt for a starter pack- these usually contain the absolute essentials you need in smaller sizes (I like to say travel-size ;)) at a much more affordable price. There’s more product in starter packs than in samples, because you do need to trial products for 4-6 weeks at the very least before you can see if they’re helping your skin. I was approached by the team at Proactiv a couple of months ago to give their Proactiv Starter Kit a whirl- & today I’ll be sharing my thoughts with you guys! Let’s go!

It's no secret that I love Aspect skincare- I've been using it regularity our over 3 years now, and it's completely changed my skin for the better! Like, crazy better. Even though, yes, I'm getting old & have mad wrinkles, I've never had as many compliments on my skin as I get now, and Aspect has played a huge part of it all. The Aspect Brightening Kit is designed to do just that- brighten, as well as tackle any problems of pigmentation. Even better, it includes a purifying cleanser, a seriously hydrating moisturiser (gentle enough to be used around the eyes also), an exfoliating serum (this one is brilliant at shrinking pores), & the famous Pigment Punch- which works on any pigmentation you may have- including age spots, freckles and acne scars. This stuff WORKS, guys!

Awhile ago I had an amazing Dermalogica facial at Mint Beauty in Te Awamutu, and my beauty therapist introduced me to some incredibly effective products- one of them being the Daily Microfoliant. Not only have I been using it obsessively ever since, but I’ve recommended it to dozens of friends and family- it is AMAZING. So what is it?? The Daily Microfoliant is gentle, rice-based powder which when comes into contact with water, releases very good things such as Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes. These guys gently but effectively exfoliate away dead skin cells...which in turn will give you smooth, glowing skin, & help to even out your skin tone!I keep mine in the shower so it’s right there, easy to use, every day- just a warning though, this product is addictive- it’s that good!​Cosmedix is another brand that I’ve been using religiously for several years, and they just can’t seem to put a foot wrong with any of their products. Over the past few months, I’ve been trialling the Simply Brilliant 24/7 Brightening Serum, and it is, quite honestly, brilliant. You can use it during the day, but I prefer to use it in the evening before I moisturise, and I wake up with YAY skin. This serum contains natural, active ingredients such as Licorice Root Extract, Green Tea Extract, & Daisy Flower Extract- as well as the all important Vitamin B (niacinamide), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), & salicylic acid. These all work in conjunction to reduce hyperpigmentation and photodamaged skin (bye bye dark spots!), & it’s easily one of the strongest skin-brightening products available without a prescription. If you’re serious about getting rid of dark spots, this is your guy.

Another fabulous Dermalogica skin brightening product that I’ve been trying is the Map-15 Regenerator. Don’t let the small vial fool you- it contains an incredibly strong form of stabilised Vitamin C, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and is just PERFECT for nailing any dark spots once and for all. I’ve never used a formulation like it; it’s a powder which turns into a liquid when it comes into contact with skin- like...magic ;) I don’t use it all over my face because it really is so strong- I’ve just been using it on the pigmentation on my cheeks, and I’m rapt to say that they have faded so much in over 2 months of regular use. I also use it occasionally around my eyes- it can help reduce the appearance of dark circles, as well as those annoying crows feet. There is the option of mixing the powder with your moisturiser- but I prefer to use it as a targeted treatment- it’s strong, and that’s the way I like my skincare products. Love love LOVE.​If there’s something Clinique really knows how to do well, it’s skincare. I love the entire new Turnaround range, which was released in NZ last year, it aims to banish dull, tired & stressed out skin for good- making you look radiant! Who doesn’t want to look radiant?! One of the standout products from the range however is the Revitalising Instant Facial, it makes my skin feel SO GOOD- & LOOK so good! It’s an exfoliating face mask, which you apply in a thick layer & leave on for 5 minutes- although I tend to leave it on for a little longer because that’s just my vibe. When you’re finished, simply rinse it off with water, and you will be in GLOW TOWN. This is a particularly good mask for using in the morning pre-makeup application, because it really makes makeup sit so nicely on the skin. It’d be super great to use if you haven't had much sleep the night before, or if you plan on taking some serious selfies. Give it a try, & while you’re at it, check out the rest of the Turnaround range because it is yum.

Ahhh, Lancome- you’re so beautiful, always!!! I’ll try not to bang on too much about the packaging, because obviously it’s inside what matters...but it IS pretty. The Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate is a powerhouse serum, which is meant to refresh and revitalise your skin, as well as restoring radiance. I’ve tried using this both morning and night before following up with moisturiser, and it’s a complete joy to use! Since starting to use this in March, I’ve noticed a big difference in the texture of my skin (it’s MUCH smoother), and honestly, it just looks far healthier and fresh overall. A small amount goes a long way, and lately I’ve been popping a tiny amount in with my foundation to give my base an extra glowy appearance. Obviously (as with all active skincare products) you’ll get the best results over a longer amount of time, but I can say without a doubt that with this serum, your skin will feel immediately refreshed and smooth! If you can find a sample of this, you must try it!

Benefit Cosmetics completely blew me away with their new products which launched in NZ last month- I haven’t been this excited by a collection in a LONG time. All centered around giving you glowing, radiant skin, the absolute stand outs for me are Dew The Hoola liquid bronzer, & Shy Beam liquid highlighter. Dew The Hoola is the first liquid bronzer I’ve ever tried, and I am smitten. I’ve always been a bit nervous of them, but this beauty is a cinch to apply (I use a small, dense fluffy brush). It blends beautifully, gives a natural bronzed matte finish, and really would suit the majority of skintones. And that gold bamboo packaging! I REALLY hope this is a permanent addition to the Benefit range. Shy Beam is the first matte highlighter I’ve ever used- I didn’t think that such a thing existed! Basically, it gives you a glow as opposed to a shimmer or sparkle, which makes it far more natural, or, “lit from within” as they say ;) I use the same kind of brush to blend this in as I do for Dew The Hoola (MAC #109, in case you wondered), but you could easily use your fingers as well. These products are both LOVELY, and I genuinely hope they’re here to stay.

Okay, if I could only choose ONE makeup product that I was able to use for the rest of my life, it’d be the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. I can’t even begin to describe how good it is- it is a JOY, and there’s simply nothing like it. It is at the pricier end of the spectrum, but I use every shade, every day- it’s so worth it. The palette contains 3 different powders: Dim Light, (which I use as a finishing/setting powder all over my face), Incandescent Light, (which is a gorgeous highlighter for the tops of the cheekbones- and anywhere you like to highlight), & Radiant Light (a soft bronzing powder which works amazingly as a soft contour, and to add a little warmth to your face). Obviously you don’t need to use them all at once if you don’t want to, but whatever you choose, your skin will look AMAZING. I swear! It’s my holy grail, the best of the best.

Lush Feeling Younger is a little pot of joy that can be used in a multitude of ways to highlight your skin and make you glowing and gorgeous. You can wear it mixed with moisturiser or foundation for a dewy base, on the tops of your cheekbones and brow bones- even as an eyeshadow base. So basically it's a light reflecting cream that goes on in shades of pink, gold and silver, it's opalescent- and has yummy natural ingredients like almond oil, cocoa butter & orange flower water. A pot of this will last you for a very long time as well, because a little bit goes a really long way. I feel like there's 6 million more things I could say about Feeling Younger, but I'm running out of space- I just encourage you to go in store and ask the girls about it, you'll be sold. Plus, you'll get to see the Lush girls which is a treat in itself!

Products from YSL make my skin very happy at the best of times, but lately I have been using this one more than any other primer I own. The Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow works perfectly as a primer- but the best thing about it is the intense surge of hydration that it gives...and keeps on giving throughout the day. It makes my makeup look fresh and glowy all day long, & I love how you can use it not only pre-makeup application, but throughout the day as well for touch ups. I pop a little around my eyes and nose area mid afternoon (and on my frownies if it’s been a long day)- love it! If your skin is a little tired looking, and you need an instant dose of radiance- you’ll love this.

If anyone was to ask me what the most talked-about foundation was in MUO, my answer HANDS DOWN would be the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. We love it for it’s coverage, the perfect finish, and for the crazy longevity- it’s just amazing. Now it has a little sister- in BB format, with a glowing, radiant finish! The Double Wear All-Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup (long name, but worth it) has actually been available in NZ for quite awhile...but it hasn’t gotten the amount of attention that I feel it deserves. Think about everything you love about the original DW, and then add a dewy finish, & a lighter, more comfortable wear. It says the coverage is sheer, but I swear it’s more medium..& that GLOW it gives is perfection! If you can try a sample of this, please do!

Bobbi Brown has a habit of absolutely slaying me with each new collection- there’s always at least 2 or 3 products that make me swoon in true MUO fashion. When I first saw the Nude Illuminating Powder I assumed it would be similar to their hugely popular Shimmer Bricks- but I was wrong! This is more of a finishing/setting powder, to be used over your entire face. I was a bit nervous about doing that initially, because, well, I didn’t want my whole face to shine- but this powder is SO finely-milled! It illuminates my skin, very similar to how Hourglass performs (except this is more attainable), and gives a lovely glow that lasts. It is able to be built up and concentrated on certain areas of the face e.g. tops of the cheekbones- and it comes in a range of different wearable shades from very fair to tan. Love love LOVE this!!!​This post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t include a brilliant primer that makes you glow, and the one I’m using most often at the moment is the Lancome La Base Hydra Glow. It is just SO lovely to wear- it contains one of my all-time favourite ingredients, hyaluronic acid- and you know what that means, right? Awesome amounts of hydration, all day long, which of course results in a happy, intact foundation base, all day long. It’s a pearlescent makeup primer, which gives you the coveted glow, and also contains rose essence to soothe any irritated/troubled skin. It feels good, it looks good, and you only need the tiniest amount to look like a fresh faced angel. This product is perfect for the colder months, thanks to the nourishing ingredients, and is the perfect product to use as a base for your glowing skin makeup regime. A must try!